Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-02-11
Dome Department.
A VACATION GLIMPSE OF FLOR
IDA.
WINTER PARK, Orange Co., Fla,
January u. 1857.

V"hu"iN ~, 1901
| started alone Christmas morning
overtakng my trunk at the cars, and in
half an hour | reached Longwood. and
staid over Sunday with friends. Mon
day morning bright and early started
for Indian River, and from Judge F.. on
the cars, learned precisely where to 90,
and what to do. That braced my spirits
for the journey; for think my friends
thought it rather wild-goose chase on
my part | believe the very loneliness
of it was restful. had a beautiful time.
The railroad, finished last year, has
brought that region very near to us here.
l left Enterprise at about 10 "A. m. and
arrived at Titusville an hour and half
later. There | took dinner and saw the
father of one of our pupils. and in the
afternoon went on board the little steam
er that runs on Indian River down to
Rockledge and Melbourne. The awning
over the deck was gaily trimmed with
the far-famed Indian River fruits. These
were large citrons and grape fruits and
oranges of every variety, with their beau
tiful glossy leaves, suspended from cords
above our heads. The river is very
broad and so near the sea-neary an arm
of the sea, you knOw-that the breeze
seemed like the real seabreeze, though
| suppose it is softened little by passing
over narrow belt of sand which sepa-
rates the river from the ocean. We
reached Rockledge at half-past eight the
same evening. Oh, how beautiful it is 4,
| wish was so gifted with the power of
expression that could make you see it.
The weather was absolutely perfect all
the time | was gone. As | stepped out
on the balcony from my third-story front
room on Tuesday morning | felt as
though had stepped into paradise. The
house was directly on the river and had
its own landing. | looked right down on
the blue water; only "A path and few pal
mettos between. On the banks as far as
could see up and down was this beauti-
full woodland of oaks and palmettos. As
| walked to the end of the balcony
could see, back of the woodland, the
great orange groves. the boughs fairly
loaded down with golden fruit, and
more palmettos scattered here and there
in their midst, left standing. | sup
pose, when the land was cleared. The
strip of woodland along the river banks
might be, should guess. 30 rods in
width. \ broad winding path runs
through it, and from an eight to quar-
ter of mile apart there are cottages.
each with its little landing and some with
their packing-houses at one side. They
look as if they were in park One can
just catch glimpses of the groves in the
backgrounds. | supposed, of course,
these wonderful woods had been spared
from true artistic feeling and grew quite
sentimental over the love of the people
for their beautiful banks; but | learned
later that it was to protect their grounds
from the east winds that the trees were
left enjoyed my little sentiment, how
ever, all through my first walk. | went
on and on for mile and Il half before
realized that had gone a mile then
got boy to bring me home in a sailboat
home to the hotel | mean. can't tell
you how grand it was in that big sail
boat, with only my small skipper for
company, scudding along before the
wind. Here | staid two days, and then
went down to Melbourne and stad one.
The place is not attractive, but the air is
the most delicious ever breathed. While
there took sailbOat again, and this
| time crossed the river and then walked
across the sand three-fourths of "A mile
to the ocean. had two boatmen on this
trip and invited my landlady and her
children with me. As we reached the
beach the sky was spanned by rainbow.
The coloring of the waves was wonder
fully beautiful. The shore was fairly
opalescent from the great number of
Portuguese men-of-war strown upon the
sand.
Friday morning started for home and
arrived the same evening. having had at
least restful trip, and here at Winter
Park may prepare myself, if you please,
for another.